In Sermon Illustrations: "Trials And Difficulties"

Alex Navalny - Russian Dissident

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 19, 2024

Russian opposition leader and outspoken Christian, Alexei Navalny. Navalny voluntarily returned to Russia - knowing he would be arrested and imprisoned. Navalny, 47, dies while serving a 19-year sentence in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle. In Navalny’s closing statement during his 2021 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Tags: Integrity, Righteousness, Sermon On The Mount, Sacrifice

Denomination: Pentecostal

In A Time Of Great Extremity The Young Man ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 21, 2002

In a time of great extremity the young man prayed to God for deliverance. In return for that deliverance the young man promised God a life-long commitment of service to others. Shortly thereafter, he was confronted with a man who embodied all that he disdained: a Texan with a loud brash manner who ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

During The Early Morning Hours Of Sunday, January ...

Contributed by Joe La Rue on Feb 12, 2008

During the early morning hours of Sunday, January 27, just one week ago today, fire swept through Tim and Victoria Lasita’s Delhi Township home. The house was destroyed, and with it, practically all their possessions. Tim, Victoria and their two sets of triplets—6 children in all, under the age ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

New Your City Mayor Admits Mistake And Silences ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2009

New York City Mayor Admits Mistake and Silences Reporters Back in 1980 New York City Mayor Ed Koch appeared on a local news program in the middle of the city’s financial crisis. Koch had spent over a quarter of a million dollars to put up bike lanes in Manhattan, and they turned out to be a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:15-16

Tags: Mistakes

Unsung Heroes: The Lame Man Of Acts 3

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 30, 2021

Text: Acts 3:1-10. KJV: 1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Tags: John, Peter, Healings

Denomination: Baptist

A Man Was Watching A Little Tv On Sunday Instead ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

A man was watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, He was watch a Church service in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years...... The retired minister was 92 at that time and he wondered why the Church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to ...read more

Indian Legend Adds "Spook" To Phenomenon

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2007

Indian Legend Adds "Spook" to Phenomenon This isn’t your typical pay-at-the-gate attraction. In fact, there is no admission charge — it’s free! Some might not even call it an attraction, but don’t say that to the locals of Lake Wales, Florida. Spook Hill is proudly recognized by the town. The ...read more

I Love To Cook. The Only Problem Is That Many Of ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Mar 1, 2008

I love to cook. The only problem is that many of the things I like to cook are things that my wife does not particularly care to eat. I like to cook things in a crock pot or in a pressure cooker. One of my favorite things to cook is ham hocks and beans. My dad taught me to cook it and we used ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

Evil In Us ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 21, 2008

EVIL IN US ALL In 1960, Israeli undercover agents kidnapped one of the worst killers in Hitler’s army from his hideout in South America. His name was Adolf Eichmann. They took him to Israel to stand trial for crimes against humanity. Prosecutors called a long list of witnesses who had either seen ...read more

Tags: Sin Fall Of Man

Grasping ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Grasping Forms of Worship Corporate Worship Takes Many Forms Psalm 122:1, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’" The Holy Spirit moved the writer of Hebrews 10:25 to write, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 122:1

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Forever Family

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

A FOREVER FAMILY Author Keith Miller tells of an outgoing 40-year-old woman who was part of a sharing group he led. Here is her story: "When I was a tiny little girl, my parents died and I was put in an orphanage. I was not pretty at all and no one seemed to want me. But I longed to be adopted ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Adoption

Focusing On The Light

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 24, 2010

FOCUSING ON THE LIGHT "We were on shipboard," relates a captain's wife, "lying in a Southern harbor. We were obliged, first to make our way ashore. The waves were rolling heavily. I became frightened at the thought of attempting it, when one man came to me, saying, 'Do not be afraid: I will take ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Meaning Of The Cross

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS In the 19th century, Armenian Christians, under a Turkish Muslim government, experienced a tremendous amount of persecution. The government lifted the ban on Muslims converting to Christianity in 1856. Then just eight years later, they began arresting these Muslim converts ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Persecution

Hezekiah's Story

Contributed by Bret Toman on Dec 22, 2011

HEZEKIAH'S STORY Laos 2001. Hezekiah's life had been so transformed that he had to tell someone. When he returned to the village he grew up in, he told the 35 relatives and villagers who met him and demanded to know why he had converted to Christianity, "Jesus is the only way I can be saved from ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Baptist

Inescapable Judgment

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 28, 2012

INESCAPABLE JUDGMENT During the winter of 1951, a Montana café owner named Clarence Pellett pulled over to pick up a hitchhiker who appeared cold and frozen while walking during a snowstorm. Once in the car, the hitchhiker Frank Dryman pulled out a gun and ordered Pellett to get out of his ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 16:4-7

Tags: Judgment

Jesus Freak: Hezekiah

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

JESUS FREAK: HEZEKIAH Laos 2001. Hezekiah’s life had been so transformed that he had to tell someone. When he returned to the village he grew up in, he told the 35 relatives and villagers who met him and demanded to know why he had converted to Christianity, "Jesus is the only way I can be saved ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Baptist

Three Views On Civil Disobedience By Believers

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 29, 2023

There are at least three general positions on the matter of civil disobedience. The anarchist view says that a person can choose to disobey the government whenever he likes and whenever he feels he is personally justified in doing so. Such a stance has no biblical support whatsoever, as evidenced ...read more

Tags: Authority, Leaders, Civil Disobedience, Patriotism, Persecution, America, Submission, Government  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Have You Been Feeling Lately? Does It Seem ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Otterstatter on Feb 4, 2002

How have you been feeling lately? Does it seem like you have a decreased amount of energy? Do you feel fatigued? Have you been craving sugar and eating more than usual? In the last two months have you had difficulty getting out of bed in the morning? Are you sleeping more than usual, been less ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

Make Yourself At Home  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 20, 2002

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME Becky Pippert, is a Christian author from Naperville, Illinois. While doing campus ministry she met a student named Bill on a college campus in Portland, Oregon. Bill was brilliant, and always looked like he was pondering something deep. He had messy hair, and the entire ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Christian Love, Promises Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jars Of Clay

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

JARS OF CLAY In his book "Disappointment with God," Philip Yancey offers a powerful metaphor for the church: I have a bright, talented, and very funny friend in Seattle named Carolyn Martin. But Carolyn has cerebral palsy, and it is the peculiar tragedy of her condition that its outward ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ